Coconut Lime Ice Cream

June 17th, 2012

It’s been an incredibly hot weekend! Helping out with my dear friend A’s wedding has been keeping me busy, and one of the best things about celebrating these momentous occasions is seeing all the people they bring together. I’ve been able to reunite with so many old friends, some of whom I didn’t even expect to see, and to make some new friends as well. But now that I have a moment to relax, sitting back with a scoop (or two, or three) of ice cream is what’s on my mind. I was afraid when I purchased an ice cream maker a few years back that, like many single-use-appliances, it would be used a few times and then forgotten, but fortunately I have a sweet tooth, and homemade ice cream is miles better than any other kind.

I experimented with a purely coconut “ice cream” (dairy free) a few months back, and while it was good, it wasn’t nearly as creamy as the dairy versions I usually make (even though the fat content, which contributes to the creaminess and mouthfeel, was actually slightly higher). So this time I added some cream to the mix and the result was heavenly. The flavour is light but unmistakably coconutty, with a hint of lime shining through – a perfect treat for a hot day like today.

In a pot, combine coconut cream, heavy cream and lime juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until it forms lemon yellow ribbons.
Pour 1/4 of the hot cream mixture slowly into the egg mixture while whisking, to temper the eggs, then pour eggs into the pot of cream and return to the stove on low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and stir in lime zest and rum.
Cool thoroughly and chill in fridge overnight, then churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s suggestions. Spoon into a freezer-safe container and let it firm up in the freezer for a few hours, before serving.

I’ve purchased an embarrassing amount of Turtle Mountain Coconut Milk Cookie Dough, it might be time to just try my own. I wonder what the reason was for the lack of creaminess with just coconut cream – whatever the case, I’ll take your word for it.

Roddy, everytime I hear about a product from you it makes me wish I was in the States where it’s available!

I have a hunch that perhaps the lack of creaminess has to do with how coconut milk/cream forms ice crystals. It’s also a bit grittier due to coconut particles, but I’m hoping to find a good solution for my dairy-free friends soon.